Mother of abandoned dead newborn referred for prosecution

Taipei, April 3 (CNA) Police said Thursday they have located the mother of a newborn baby that was found dead inside a cardboard box left in front of a deserted residence in Chiayi County, and have referred her for prosecution.

The Chiayi County Police Department's Budai Precinct identified the woman through door-to-door inquiries Thursday afternoon after surveillance footage from nearby intersections yielded no leads.

A preliminary examination found no visible injuries on the infant, but livor mortis had set in and the umbilical cord remained attached, investigators said.

With no reports of crying from nearby residents, it is suspected that the baby was deceased when abandoned, they said.

Investigators believe the mother, who is reportedly married, was able to conceal the pregnancy from her family due to her physique.

Police said the woman did not undergo any prenatal checkups. Currently it is unknown if the baby was stillborn in late March or died postpartum.

Police believe the mother placed the body of the baby in a box and left him inside an abandoned house in Budai Township.

She reportedly returned on the night of April 1 to check on him and placed the box outside the building, police added.

An autopsy is scheduled for April 9 to determine the exact cause of death, prosecutors said.